Such Selfish Prayers
by Midnight-Ophelia
Summary: There is no such thing as fate. At least that was what they told themselves as a jaded prostitute with a history of running away from his rough past, and a genius billionaire with a slight complex and his own demons. This was until the fate that they didn't believe in decided to throw them together. (Bedroom Hymns Revamp)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any characters reconizable from Marvel. I'm just borrowing them for some fun.

**Notes:** Yeah, I guess I owe you guys a reason why I'm reworking Bedroom Hymns.

I decided to do this because of numerous reasons, the main ones being that, while I got lovely feedback, I was unhappy with some of the inconsistencies in places and some grammar issues. I honestly thought I could do better and outdo myself. Now, I didn't completely change everything, there's plenty that is the same. I just just fixed some of the the above issues and some rewording. I will say that there are bigger changes are towards the end of the story, hopefully they're for the better.

With that note out of the way, I hope you enjoy the new version!

* * *

It was a breezy and cool fall evening in New York City when Loki Laufeyson found himself standing at his usual corner, leaning casually against a light post and picking at his black painted nails with all the air of someone waiting. This was exactly what he was doing; waiting. His life came down to standing on street corners these days, pretending to be indifferent while all the while scanning the mass of faces that roamed the sidewalks and the cars that traveled the busy streets. The way he watched the crowds could almost be described as 'predatory'. His gaze was sharp and analyzing, and his thin lips pursed with thought.

If anyone had asked him a few years prior that he would be on the streets with the occupation he had now, Loki probably would have scoffed at the notion.

He'd been a valedictorian at NYU at a young age, younger than most; he was making his way up his father's company with every indication of eventually taking over. He had a loving mother, a close friend in his elder brother, and played role-model to a younger one. He had been happy, he thought as he looked back from time to time, or at least he played like he had been happy. In many ways he never had been, and even with his excellent standing and achievements, Loki never felt like he'd truly fit in with his family.

It eventually became clear why he'd felt that way. He'd found out on accident that he had been adopted, and when he'd asked his so-called 'family' if they ever had any intention on telling him, they had said that they never saw a reason to, that after a while it had seemed like an unimportant fact. They loved him like a son and so he was their son. After that Loki had seen the signs that had been there all along.

Thor was going to be head of the company when their father stepped down all because he was the oldest and it wouldn't matter that he wasn't fit for it, being the selfish, pig-headed brute that he was. Balder was a spoiled boy, getting everything he wanted and for nothing, including the popularity and the love of his peers. Their mother, while loving, pretended that there was nothing wrong. At least this was what he told himself. It made no never mind if it was actually true or not.

That, combined with Balder's death shortly after, was what had influenced his leaving in the end. He was more than old enough, after all. His family had always been close, the house big enough to suit everyone, but there was nothing for him there now.

Loki shifted his stance, sticking his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket, and let out a sigh. It was hard to keep unwanted thoughts away when all there was to do was wait. A glance at his watch told him that his client was supposed to be there fifteen minutes prior, yet there was still no sign of him. If it wasn't for his infinite patience, Loki would have left already. It was also the promise of money - money that he needed to pay the bills and add to his expensive clothing collection - that kept him there despite the fact that he could be elsewhere. Perhaps he could have been at home where it was warm and he could get some reading in. Loki would give him ten more minutes, and if there was no sign, then he was either heading home or finding a new client for the evening. Personally, the former sounded better than the later.

Ten minutes passed, and just as he was about to throw in the towel, a car pulled up to the curb and the passenger side window rolled down. It was an expensive car from overseas, all glossy and black and, from what Loki could see, the interior was dark leather. He was willing to bet it had heated seats too. Oh, those rich business men and their lavish tastes. Their needs for the most exquisite items money could buy kept him in business, and it wasn't cheap to buy his 'affections' in this economy.

"Waiting for someone?" the man in the car asked. In the fading light of the sun, Loki could easily tell that the owner was not the least bit handsome and was as paunchy as could be expected from someone who sat on their backside all day while everyone else did the real work. He probably had a young, hot trophy wife, and yet here he was soliciting a man in his 20's. Expensive tastes, indeed.

Loki masked his distastes with a smirk, teasing and seductive. He moved closer to the vehicle and pressed a hip against the door as he leaned down to get a better look at his fish. "I was, but it looks like I've been stood up."

"Well, if you have no one else, I could give you a lift. Warm you up a bit. I would hate to see you out here in the cold." The business man made no effort to hide his wandering eyes and Loki cringed internally while his face showed nothing.

These dances were tiring but necessary, and Loki made a scene of looking like he was mulling over the offer, pretending. "I don't know. My parents raised me not to get in cars with strangers."

"Oh, come on. I don't bite." And so the charade continues.

"If it's not too much of a hassle…" Loki gave him the most contrite smile he could muster, imagining it must have given him a younger appearance and so continued to work in his favor. Play innocent; it was how they liked it. Let them feel like they're in control when in reality it always fell into his hands. "I would hate to be a hindrance. You're probably a busy man."

"It's no problem, I promise you." The man's face twitched with a grin, clearly just too damn proud of himself. He unlocked the door and patted the empty seat beside him. "Come on in."

"Thank-you," Loki replied easily as he opened the door and slid in. Just as he expected, the seat was warm and the interior smelled like clean, fresh leather that mixed with the distinctive new car scent. A rental car. His guest for the night must have been in New York on a business trip. Good. That would mean he'd pay well and disappear. All the better for it. Loki buckled his seat belt and the car moved forward into the street. "Do you need my address?"

"I was hoping we could stop at my hotel first if that isn't a problem with you, beautiful." And there were the pet names. Beautiful, sweetheart, pet, gorgeous… Loki could list them all in his sleep; they were hardly original.

"Not a problem at all."

This was going to be a very long night.

* * *

True to his predictions, it was.

They barely made it to the rented hotel room before Loki's client's –he didn't bother to even learn his name- hands were on him, and by the time they were in the private elevator, making their way to the penthouse, the roaming hands were joined by lips. Loki had managed to push him away long enough to remind him of his payment and five one hundred dollar bills were frantically pressed into his hands before they resumed their actions.

Loki wiped himself down with one of the fluffy, white towels from the bathroom and when he was satisfied, pulled on the previous night's clothing. Behind him he could hear the heavy breathing of the business man and he shuddered. He wasn't sure what had coated his skin more; the man's sweat or his own. It was one part of his occupation he could do well without. Loki spared him a look and briefly contemplated smothering him with a pillow. '_The world could do to have one less scumbag'. _With considerable restraint, he managed to resist the urge of homicide. '_You chose this,_' his mind taunted. _'There will be no shortage of men like this'._

How was that for a depressing thought?

Loki shook his head and went about untangling his dark hair then tied it back into a ponytail. Content enough with personal grooming, he dragged on his coat and boots. With the money he got from this job combined with ones from earlier in the week, he could have a few days off. Loki pictured himself sitting in a deep tub filled with steaming water and bath salts. He earned the break last night, and he was going to _indulge_ himself.

As he moved towards the door he heard the question, "Want to do this again?"

Loki paused in his step and turned on his heal, scowling. "No, I do not. In fact, even if you paid me a thousand dollars I would not want to be in your stinking company again. Good day."

With that, he stalked out without waiting for a response. He didn't even speak with the receptionist at the front desk when he reached the lobby and didn't stop walking until the morning air hit his skin. Only then did he relax. Loki pulled his coat close even though the cold had never really bothered him. It was more for a sense of security than for any actual warmth. He always felt drained after these encounters and vulnerable in the worst of ways. It was why he left as soon as he could, and very, very rarely ever had a regular. His reputation earned him enough new and interested parties that he didn't have to worry.

Loki flagged down a cab and after a relatively short drive, reached his apartment.

The complex itself wasn't particularly great nor was the area of the city, but it suited his purpose, and he had updated the interior enough to fit his aesthetic. The most important things about his abode were that it was private and it was his. He never brought any of his guests there, and no one but a very select few even knew where it was located. It was his sanctuary, a place he could relax and not worry about running into anyone he didn't wish to see. It was low key, as it were.

The lobby of the building smelled strongly of cleaning products and overly-ripe flowers, but it was a familiar comfort that told him he was home. His flat was only a few floors up, and he took the elevator to it as he dug around in his coat pocket for his keys. After some fiddling, he undid the deadbolt and knob locks and slid in, closing the door behind him and relocking it. Letting out a breath, Loki leaned against the door as the tension in his body slowly released. Home, sweet, home.

Loki tossed his coat on the coatrack and promptly stripped out of his boots and clothing before going into the bathroom. The steam of his shower quickly fogged over the mirror and he breathed in the vapor that hung in the air. First things first he needed to get the stink off of his skin and then he was going to get breakfast. His grumbling stomach made sure to remind him that he hadn't eaten since early last night.

In the shower, the water felt soothing to his sore muscles, and he washed his skin with a thick lather of soap, feeling the grunge wash away down the drain. Still, no matter how often he washed, there was no way of really getting clean. Everything he did clung to him, sank into his skin and down to his very being.

It was hard to keep these thoughts at bay. Being alone made it easier for them to pick at his mind and remind him of his life. He pretended it didn't bother him, and that he was doing what was best for himself. It was denial and he refused to admit that it was denial, a vicious circle of self- delusion.

Loki washed his hair then shut off the water.

* * *

Tony Stark hated mornings.

Well, okay, it wasn't always mornings per se; more like he hated whenever he was in a deep sleep and someone had to go and wake him up. Sometimes it was actually in the morning and other times it could be in the afternoon. Over the years people had come to understand his feelings on the matter as he stumbled into a meeting half-awake, a donut in one hand and a piping hot black (as sin) coffee in the other. At this point they were all pretty sure he'd turn up late to his own funeral. It would just be a very Tony thing to do.

So it was needless to say that when Pepper Potts showed up in his room at the ass-crack of dawn and opened the blinds, Tony wasn't even the slightest bit happy when he was hit in the face by bright sunlight. He made a sound that seemed to be a mix of a groan and curse and buried his face deep into his feather pillow. It did little to keep his assistant at bay, however, as she peered down at him with crossed arms.

"Tony, you need to get up," Pepper insisted with all the exasperation of a mother. She poked at his arm and watched as Tony squirmed away from her prodding. "Please, get up."

"Day off," Tony responded, this time pulling his blankets over his head as if she'd suddenly forget that he was there. "Need more sleep."

Pepper rolled her eyes, grabbed the edge of the blanket, and ripped it off the lump that was its owner. There was a yelp, and Tony's eyes snapped open as his body curled up into a ball. Before he could cover his head with the pillow, Pepper grabbed that and pulled it away as well, leaving her boss staring up at her like someone had kicked him in the gut. Pepper was unaffected.

"You told me to make sure you got up, and I'm doing just that," she told him, taking a look at her watch.

Tony slowly rose to his elbows, which was a step forward in the right direction. He dragged a hand through his hair. "Dismiss my previous request. It was a mistake. I changed my mind."

"Hm, well, now it's too late to back out. The only thing you can do now is actually remove yourself from the bed." Pepper patted him on the shoulder and added, "If you get up you may actually be able to get breakfast. Fresh donuts and coffee sound good?"

At the mention of food, Tony's eyes became just a little bit brighter. "You make a valid point, Miss Potts."

"Of course I do."

After the promise of caffeine and sugar it took a lot less time for Tony to finally roll out of bed and throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. At least the sunlight told him that he could just walk the few blocks to his favored coffee shop and not take a risk of getting rained on. There was nothing more unpleasant than getting caught in a fall rain that was cold enough to give you frostbite. Through a coat. Yeah, he wasn't going to take that chance again. He was stuck in bed for days with a cold after that.

"You want anything?" Tony asked, pulling on a coat and turning to see Pepper. "Donut? Crepe? One of those English pastry things?"

"No, I've already eaten," Pepper gave him an amused smile. "I've been up for hours."

Tony shrugged. "Alright, if you're sure. Be back shortly. Don't burn the house down while I'm gone."

"No, Tony, that's something you would do."

He flashed her one of his charming grins as he slipped out the door.

* * *

The smell of fresh coffee and sugary pastries hit his senses as Tony walked in. The little bell above the door jingled, and the sounds of patron chatter and the clanking of the baristas working behind the counter were things he had become quite familiar with, as he took to coming here during his days off. There was a small line already formed at the receptionist counter, and Tony easily found a place in it, taking in all the occupants that sat at the various small, round tables as he waited. Some were eating food or drinking some overly sweet beverage, and others sat enraptured by their smartphones and tablets.

The natural habitat of starving artists and hipsters the world around.

Tony could see that behind the cash register stood Darcy Lewis, chatting with a woman at the front of the line, glasses perched at the edge of her nose. Behind the woman were five other irritated patrons all waiting to pay for their orders. There were days that he wondered how Darcy even managed to keep her job when it seemed like all she did was yack at people. Maybe they were short on workers.

Eventually, his side of the line moved, and he greeted the blond behind the counter. "Hey, Anna, how's business going?"

'Anna' looked up at him and smiled tightly. "Busy. I see Pepper managed to get you up today. Good on her."

"Yep." Tony stared down at the samples locked away in a glass case. Everything looked good and his stomach growled. "Any specials today?"

"Well, there are blueberry scones that were just made. Is that 'special' enough for you?" Tony was sensing a bit of hostility, though it could have just been his imagination too. Not his fault he was too busy to call her back.

"Blueberry Scone is fine and uh, a black coffee. If it doesn't scold the inside of my mouth it isn't hot enough." He pulled out the required amount of money and quickly slipped into the next line as Anna wrote the order down. Thankfully, Darcy had finally ended her gossip hour, and he moved to the front. "Darcy."

"Hey, Tony. Another day in paradise?"

"Would be if I had my coffee faster," he pointed out, looking around her to see it being prepared.

"Heard you talking to Anna, who's still pissed at you by the way. So Pepper won this morning?" Darcy pushed her glasses up farther and took Tony's offered money, handing him back his change. "Is this going to be a regular thing?"

"Lost the battle doesn't mean I lost the whole war," Tony reminded, his mouth watering as someone sat his coffee and scone in front of him. "How's college going?"

"Well enough. Passing most of my classes. I need 6 credits for one of them, but I figure I'll have Jane help me."

"You are aware that Political Science has nothing to do with Astrophysics, right?" Darcy was a pretty girl, but she had a tendency to come off as a bit…spacey. Tony had to give her employers and professors props for not having found a way to conveniently get rid of her.

Darcy shrugged. "Yeah, I know but credits are credits, and it'll look good." She was quiet for a moment then, "So when are you and Pepper gonna get together? We're all taking bets."

Tony let out a barking laugh. Pepper and he had gone on one date in the past, and it hadn't gone well. That was about as likely of happening again as pigs flying. The woman was awesome though, put up with his ass on a daily basis, and had seen him in compromising positions more than once. He seriously needed to give her a raise.

"I wouldn't hold your breath." Tony picked up his order and walked over to an empty seat by one of the windows, grabbing a newspaper on the way. The sounds of the shop faded into the background as he sipped his coffee, humming as it warmed his stomach. See, this was why he came to this place. There was no one else that could make it this good.

Tony looked up as the bell above the door jingled just in time to see a man come in.

To be completely honest, Tony wasn't one to normally be blindsided by anything, especially a pretty face, but this was one of those rare occurrences, and he couldn't help but stare.

The newcomer was tall and slim, dressed in tight black jeans, a form fitting t-shirt, knee high boots, and a leather jacket. Inky black hair fell past his shoulders and was held away from his pale face by a green and gold tie. What got Tony's attention the quickest, though, were a pair of deep green eyes that flickered in his direction for a moment before they looked away. Tony blinked and tried exceedingly hard not to stare as the man walked past, the scent of evergreens lingering in his wake.

He took a drink of his coffee and stood up.

Well, it was worth a shot.


	2. Chapter 2

There were closer places he could have gone that were decent enough in terms of price and fair, but for some reason he'd taken a cab to 'Stargazers'; he'd gone past it a few times in the past without much thought. Loki didn't know why he chose that particular coffee shop to go to that, but he did. The smell of coffee was alluring as he stepped in through the door, a little bell above it jingling merrily, and the atmosphere had a cozy feeling. Most of the walls were made from dark woods, and the high ceiling twinkled with little hidden lights, making it look like stars in the night sky. Even the frosted windows gave off the illusion of tranquility.

As he walked in farther, he glanced at a brunette sitting at one of the tables, sunglasses barely obscuring a stare. Loki resisted the urge to wink at him just to see what sort of reaction he'd get from it. The man wasn't bad to look at either; he had an agreeable face with a well groomed goatee and brown eyes, dressed in nice denim jeans, a band T-shirt (AC/DC), athletic shoes and a jacket. Loki met his admirer's eyes briefly before glancing away as he walked past, aware that the gaze hadn't left him.

Loki's lips pulled downward into a frown.

It was odd.

There were things that played a part in his reasoning why he never had relationships, and he held it to the fact that his occupation was spending nights on his back (or other positions), and that eventually took the _charm_ out of the act. The other was that his…previous relationship wasn't something he wanted to repeat - not after what he had gone through. Trust was a very hard won thing, and there was not a soul out there that could lead him to find it again.

So why did the thought of talking with 'Brown Eyes' suddenly seem like a plausible idea? Unless he was being paid, Loki saw no logical reason why he should. "Haven't seen you here before." Loki's attention snapped to the blond behind the counter and to her interested face.

"That would be because I've not been here before," he replied tersely as he eyed the menu. Hm, blueberry scones sounded decent enough, maybe with a latte... He pointed at one of them on display. "Are they fresh?"

"Yes, they're fresh," the barista (Anna, by her name tag) muttered when it was obvious he wasn't returning the interest in her.

"Then I'll take one of those and a small latte with non-fat milk." Loki ignored the disgruntled twist of her lips. Clearly, she was not the type of woman used to being turned down. It wasn't his fault, and even if he could help it, she wouldn't have been his type. "That'll be all."

So she wrote down his order and took his money, eyeing him like he was something mystical because staring was going to make him change his mind. When that was done, Loki moved into the next line, groaning as the woman at the head of the line chatted with another on the other side of the counter.

"Sorry about Darcy, she does that." Loki turned around to see 'Brown Eyes' grinning at him and raised an eyebrow. "And she still has employment?"

The man laughed pleasantly. "One of life's biggest mysteries. One of these days I'm going to have to question her boss about it."

"Perhaps she's in the know," Loki supplied helpfully.

"Darcy Lewis is a college student in need of 6 credits. I don't think 'in the know' is the right wording for it." The man shook his head then stretched out a hand towards him. "Tony Stark, I figure I should probably introduce myself."

Loki took the offered hand, gave it a single, firm shake, and pulled it away with more aggression than he'd meant to give. "Loki."

Stark raised an eyebrow this time. "Loki? Whose parents name their kid 'Loki'?"

"Mine evidentially, and I think the line is moving finally," Loki replied and added with just a hint of derision, "Is there a reason you're talking to me, Mr. Stark? I didn't think rich CEO's had time to mingle with the little folk."

"That's a bit direct. Did I do something wrong to you at some point?" Tony scratched at his head and looked up at Loki quizzically. "I have to say I'd remember you if I did. You're kinda hard to forget."

"You'll find that I'm very keen on directness," Loki smirked and stepped forward as the line moved. There was something to be said about his enjoyment in the confusion he was causing.

"Consider it a hobby of mine."

"Ah, and are we telling each other our hobbies now?" Tony asked, leaning against the counter beside Loki with his arms crossed, "because if we are, I like fixing up sports cars and creating world peace."

"Of course you do," Loki drawled.

Anthony 'Tony' Stark - a man who previously made his living making weapons for the army, and after a serious of events, suddenly got into renewable energy, along with creating other types of advanced electronics. He was considered a prodigy and was known not only for his genius but also his playboy nature. It was impossible for anyone not to have known the name and history of the man, and Loki, while off the grid in some cases, was quite knowledgeable and was rubbed the wrong way by it. It certainly was not because of the whole 'championing to make the world a better place' bit. Loki just didn't trust anyone who slept around with any pretty face that passed him.

And this was exactly why he was on guard as soon as he realized who it was. No wonder he looked so familiar.

"Hey, Tony, who's your friend?" the bespectacled woman asked with a sly grin that sent a jolt of further irritation through Loki.

"We just met," Loki informed Darcy promptly. Was everyone in this city so nosey? Oh, right, they were. "If you're finished with the pleasantries, could I have my order?"

Darcy made a face and stomped off to check on it.

"You're not very good with people," Stark stated, unable to keep the words from escaping.

"Actually, it's quite the contrary, Mr. Stark. If you got to know me, you'd learn that I'm very good with people," Loki smiled sweetly, making his face look impossibly young and innocent before it quickly dropped into a sour expression, "however, I am not on the clock, and it is ten in the morning, so you would have to excuse me for not being in the most pleasant of moods."

Stark held his hands up. "Look, I don't have any ulterior motives if that's what you're worried about. I just thought I'd talk with you. Is there suddenly a law against it?"

"Look, Mr. Stark, I'm not interested, nor do I completely believe you, what with your history. I'm here to tell you that you are wasting both of our time by even having this conversation. You may be able to woo others with that face and charm of yours, but I will not be one of them."

Darcy slid his order over to him, and he took it quickly. "Now, if you would excuse me, I would

like to spend my day off alone and in peace."

Before Stark could say anything else in return, he was already out the door, leaving the billionaire behind.

* * *

"That could have gone better…" Tony muttered as he watched Loki breeze through the door. He stood there, staring, as he tried to figure out exactly what the hell had just happened. Being verbally bitch-slapped wasn't something that happened often, and he hadn't even done anything other than try to have a conversation. To make it worse, he noticed the occupants of Stargazers trying to not gawk. His pride throbbed painfully.

Tony scowled as he heard laughter and turned to see Darcy doubled over. "What's so funny?"

It took a minute for her to collect herself enough to gasp out. "Oh my god, you should see the look on your face! You got burned so bad!"

"Yeah, yeah, yuck it up why don't you?" Tony grumbled. Not only had he been turned down before he could even do anything, but now he was the laughing stock of 20-something college students. "Can we move on now?"

"So when did you start liking the 'D'?" Darcy probed with a naughty smile. "Last time I checked you were into tall, blond and busty individuals."

"I'm not," Tony snapped. And there went his good mood. Ah, hell. Why was he putting up with this when he could just walk away? "Why does it matter? How is this any of your business?"

"I'm just curious."

Tony didn't reply and went back to his table to grab his things before making an exit. This wasn't what he got out of bed for. If he had known that this would be happening to him today, he probably wouldn't have bothered with it. Now even his food tasted less than impressive, and he tossed it into a street bin. He had every intention now of crawling back home and throwing himself into his tinkering. Maybe that would help him feel like someone hadn't kicked him.

His mood only got worse when he walked back into Stark Tower only to spot _her_ sitting on one of the couches in the entry room, book in hand, and looking to the entire unsuspecting world like a beautiful, serene woman dressed impeccably in a skirt and blazer. Little did they all know, Natasha Romanov was a she-devil in the guise of a 5'4 red-haired pixie. Tony Stark happened to know better and flinched when she smiled.

"Have a good walk, Stark?" she asked, not even looking up from her reading, turning a page with a manicured nail.

"Yep, never better," Tony piped up cheerily, smiling through his nervousness. There was a reason she was head of his security. He'd once watched her take down a man twice her size with one hand. Tony had about pissed himself in shock and made it a personal mission in life not to upset her. "So what's going on in the security world, Miss Romanov?"

"The usual. Barton should be here at any time now," Natasha turned another page and somehow made it sound intimidating. "He assured me he wouldn't be late."

"That's, err, good."

No one knew if Natasha was dating Clint Barton, and no one was willing to ask. It was a complete secret. What wasn't, however, was the matter of Clint being just as frightened of her as everyone else, if not more so. They'd gone through the same sort of training together, and there were some horror stories that, like whether or not they were an item, no one wanted to validate as the truth. So everyone went on their merry way, pretending that they knew nothing at all that could potentially get them killed in the middle of the night.

Tony shuffled over to her carefully as if she'd lash out then and there. "Why are you guys showing up here?"

"Just because it's your day off doesn't mean it's automatically ours as well," Natasha intoned, finally glancing up at him with her big, unassuming eyes. "Do you really want to get rid of me that badly?"

'_Don't fall for the eyes, Tony, don't look directly in them. They might steal your soul,_' Tony reminded himself and quickly looked anywhere else but at her face. "Just...wondering."

"Alright, Pepper wanted me to make sure the building was secure enough," Natasha admitted, reading again.

"Secure enough for what?" Tony scratched at his head, curious now. What other things did he come up with the last time he was drunk?

"Pepper's going about organizing a Halloween party for next month. She says it's good for PR."

Tony blanched. Oh good, a party. That was just fantastic. "Oh, I see."

"Maybe you should sit down, Tony; you're looking a bit pale," Natasha pointed out dryly. "She said you'd try to get out of it."

"I'm not doing anything. Nothing at all," Tony countered and turned around, muttering, "she never even mentioned a party..."

Who all would be invited to this? Police? High ranking socialites? Maybe he could sneak out and hire a stripper. No, that wouldn't work. Pepper would skin him alive. So would Natasha. Bad idea. Tony's mind went back to Loki. If he could invite him to this thing maybe it wouldn't suck so badly. Then again the guy had made his opinion on him very clear and tracking down one man in the whole of New York City would be a hassle. But since when did Tony ever give up on a chase that easily?

Tony had gone back to his shop like he had promised himself he would, turned on music loud enough that he couldn't even hear his own thoughts, and went to work on a latest project. Even with the distractions his mind went back to Loki, to those mischievous lips. This lasted long enough for him to finally get frustrated enough with it that he gave up and went straight for the liquor cabinet. Turning to booze wasn't a great move on his part because, apparently, he made plans when he was drunk.

This thought came just in time for Pepper to show up at the door, knocking once before entering the code, and coming into the room. "So it seems Miss Romanov broke the news to you."

"Yep, she did. I might as well ask; when did I make this plan?" Tony poured a glass of scotch, drank it fast, wincing at the bite, and then poured another.

"Last month. Yes, you were drunk, but we all agreed it was a good idea." Pepper watched him down his second glass of Scotch. "Rough morning?"

"You could say that," Tony complained, sitting back down at his work bench and continuing (attempting) what he'd been doing prior to Pepper's arrival. "I struck out when I wasn't even trying."

"Too bad," was Pepper's unsympathetic reply. "Did you ever think that not every girl is going to fall for your charms?" She took the glass out of Tony's fingers despite his protesting. "Please don't tell me you tried to go after Anna again. You know what happened the last time."

"No, it wasn't Anna, and before you ask it wasn't Darcy either," Tony countered when Pepper made a face. "It…wasn't a woman."

"Again?" Pepper had the decency to try and look surprised.

"…you don't sound nearly as surprised as you should."

It didn't happen very often, but every once in a while Tony did something unusual, and that unusual thing was occasionally a guy. It hadn't happened in quite a while, but there was always a chance of it happening again, though being sober for it was a change. Pepper handed him back his drink out of sympathy.

"Why this one?"

"I don't know. He was something. He'd never even been in there before. He was tall, pale, dark-haired, and had the most vibrant dark green eyes I've ever seen. All I did was talk to him, and as soon as I said my name he turned into king of the ice people."

Pepper let out a chuckle and handed Tony a screwdriver. "He really must have been something.

Did you get a name?"

"Loki; he didn't give me a last name." Tony tapped his fingers on the glass in thought.

"He sounds familiar actually," Pepper murmured, moving back towards the door, "I'll do some asking around, though why I'd want to encourage this, I have no idea."

"Thank-you, Miss Potts." Tony smiled, feeling better. "I needed this."

"If you say so, Mr. Stark."

* * *

Loki's mind had mulled over Tony Stark the entirety of the cab ride home. Even the sugar rush didn't help clear things up. He was there with his smile and his good looks, taunting Loki. Why was this? Loki had said himself that Stark was just another user and abuser with too much money on his hands, thinking he could just charm his way into everyone's pants. It might have worked on others, but it wouldn't work on him. He'd fallen for it before, and he wouldn't do that again.

Loki let out a growl and tossed his TV remote down beside him. He should just go to work; it'd help keep his thoughts from taking roads that they shouldn't. What was the point in having the day off when he couldn't even relax enough to enjoy it? He normally didn't run his shifts two days in a row, giving himself a day in-between to unwind, but right now he needed the distraction, anything but this unwanted influence.

As if the universe had answered his musings, his cell phone rang, and Loki frowned as he answered it. Only a few people had his number. A glance at the number beforehand significantly narrowed that list down.

Loki answered it as politely as he could muster - trading information and a meeting spot, setting up a time. He had done this so many times by now, he could do it in his sleep.

When finished, he leaned back against the couch.

What should he do for the few hours until he needed to head out? He could always go shopping and buy himself more clothing to fill his already brimming closet, or he could get more food. The scone and latte were already starting to wear off thanks to his fast metabolism, and he'd need the energy. Normally on days off he'd work out for a bit, doing Yoga to keep his body limber and in shape, and once done, eat a simple, light breakfast of fruits and meats. The rest of the day would be spent reading his books, sketching, or watching daytime television.

Thanks to that one trip out, he'd completely thrown off his own system.

That settled it then.

Loki stood and stripped out of his clothing and started stretching, shaping himself into different positions and feeling the delicious sensation of his joints popping and his muscles pulling. He did this for half an hour, and it worked for the most part to keep himself centered, but inevitably he had to stop.

Feeling no better than he did beforehand, Loki cleaned himself up and redressed. Fuck it, it was after noon, and he needed a drink.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes:** Sorry for the delay, my beta was on holiday, and I forgot she had already edited this chapter. Nonetheless, here it is. A bit late but here.

* * *

Loki was not a drinker, well, at least normally he wasn't, and if he did drink, he stuck to light liquors and took his time taking it in slowly. Every once in a while, however, there came a time when he needed to get thoroughly and completely smashed. This rare event occurred only when his mind was being particularly rebellious or when anniversaries came up that he wanted to forget. He would immediately regret it in the morning when the pounding in his head awoke him, but sometimes it was a necessity. This was one of those times.

In the back of his thoughts he knew that he had a client and that he should be sober for later, but he threw caution to the wind and downed a shot or two of Vodka, feeling it burn its way down his throat. By his third, he let out a satisfied gasp and slammed the now empty glass down on the counter.

"Wow, what's the occasion?"

Loki sighed and glanced over to his right as a tall, blond woman dressed in a short green skirt and black top sidled up beside him.

"Why are you here, Amora?" Loki asked with no joy, running a long finger over the edge of the shot glass.

"Can't a girl go out and enjoy herself a little without a motive?" Amora asked with a winsome grin. She ordered a Crusta and sipped it delicately, never looking away from him. "I think the better question is why are _you_ here?"

"Does it even matter?" Loki countered.

"S'pose not, but you can't blame me for being curious. You know as well as I do that you rarely drink. So care to tell me why you're sitting in a bar at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, downing shots like they're water?" She wasn't about to let this one go.

Loki spared her a glare then ordered (demanded) another shot before he reluctantly filled her in on what had happened at Stargazers that morning- about Tony Stark and the fact that in one, short meeting, the man had somehow managed to ingrain himself firmly in Loki's consciousness. Loki was careful about not mentioning that he had initially wanted to start a conversation. He chocked his willingness to tell Amora as being the fault of the alcohol making its way through his bloodstream.

Amora was one of the very few people who knew him from before, and even though he pretended to dislike her, he cared more than he'd say. He knew next to nothing about her, not even her last name, and didn't trust her as far as he could throw her. Despite this, she was loyal to him and had been for a long time. Loki could at least value that.

"That's why you're drowning yourself in booze? Over a man you just met? I don't even think I can believe this," Amora shook her head and the feather earrings she wore jangled with the movement. "Loki, he caught your fancy, I think you should try and talk with him, get to know him, and see if he's as bad as you assume he is. Not everyone is like-"

"Don't. Don't say his name," Loki growled, and his fingers tightened around his glass, turning his knuckles white. "Don't ever say it."

Amora blanched and quickly took a drink of her beverage. "I'm sorry. I won't say it. Still, you should listen to me, you never do, but you should."

"Why on earth are you suddenly so concerned?" Loki muttered, more to himself than the woman sitting beside him. His head felt heavy from the Vodka, and if he were to lay his head down he would fall asleep. He rose to his feet, swaying slightly, and braced himself on the counter. "I'm going home. I'll just…walk this off."

Amora's eyebrows shot up nearly to her hairline. "It's raining out, you know." She jutted a thumb towards the door. "You'll get sick if you walk in this crap. Are you seriously going to do this?"

Sure enough, Loki could see the rain against the windows and realized he hadn't even noticed that it had started in the first place.

"S'not so bad." Oh, there was a slur now. How delightful. "I'll get home quickly."

"You're a stubborn fool, Loki."

Loki shrugged weakly and attempted to straighten. "Perhaps I am, but it won't chance things."

"You never know, it might - if you actually try not to wallow."

He sent her a reproachful glance as he paid for his drinks. "Have you spoken to them, Amora?"

"Yes, briefly. They still miss you and want you to come home or at least speak with them again. You cannot blame them for worrying about you."

They had been over this same argument for years, and no matter what she said it never made a bit of difference. "You can't hide forever."

"No, but I can try," Loki responded frigidly. "I'll call you at some point."

He heard Amora sigh. "You always say that but you never do."

Loki smiled grimly. "Good-bye, Amora."

* * *

Tony hadn't been planning on going out that day after he returned from his strange morning trip into town, but in the end he'd left only to escape whatever it was that Natasha and Pepper were talking about. He didn't figure it was the normal sort of female talk either, especially not when Natasha was involved. He could bet it had something to do with how well they had his gender wrapped around their little fingers. Because Tony wasn't going to deny that no matter how much men said otherwise, women wore the pants in any relationship. He felt sorry for Clint. The guy didn't dare move from his seat out of fear for his life. Tony had almost invited him along, but if Natasha told you to stay, you'd better stay.

This was exactly why Tony had made a quick escape when he could and hid down at the police station for a few hours, talking to Steve until Fury had shown up. That was when he'd decided that it was probably a good time to leave. The conversation had been interesting up until then. Apparently prostitutes were out in more numbers than usual, and their ways of blending in had improved a lot lately. Now _that_ was Tony's type of topic. He, of course, decided it best not to mention to any of them that he knew some of the ladies of the night from back in his more wild days. That would have just turned out badly. Though, it would have been funny to see the look on Steve's face.

This is what brought Tony out around three in the afternoon, driving through the downpour of chilly fall rain and even colder air. He was considering heading back before anyone noticed he was missing when he passed a street and saw a familiar head of dark hair. Couldn't say he was expecting to see him again so soon. That was an odd coincidence. Tony slowed down to a near stop and rolled down the automatic window.

"Need a lift?" he called out, and the figure stopped mid step, turning a pair of now blurry green eyes to look at him, jaw shifting. "It's a little wet out there."

"I'm aware of this fact," Loki retorted, looking like he wanted to keep walking away. He pushed his hair out of his face and blinked rain out of his eyes. "I can walk from here. S'not much farther. I think."

Tony noticed the way the other man swayed and the ever so slight slur to his words. Someone was more than just a little drunk it looked like. Tony could have bet that the poor bastard didn't even know which direction home was. Boy, he'd had those days before. "Just get in, would you? I'm not going to take advantage of you if that's what you're worried about."

One of Loki's perfectly sculpted brows rose and his lips twitched. Almost like magic, the closed off stance relaxed and his hands went to his hips. "Oh, so if I was sober you'd have no qualm with such things? Good to know that being drunk is saving what's left of my virtue. How charming."

"See? No harm done. So will you please get in here and let me drive you home?" Tony was fighting laughter. Now this seemed more like the guy he'd first seen in that shop - before he'd shut him out with a wall of ice. This was the Loki he wanted to get to know. He was a walking paradox, shifting from one mood to the other like a switch. At least this was as far as Tony could tell.

"No, not home," Loki murmured, suddenly looking a little lost. The brief sobriety he'd had gone as quick as it had come. He shook his head, making the wet strands of hair stick to his face, and he quickly pushed them back again. The longer he stood there the more he looked on the verge of passing out there in the street. "Can't have you at my place, Mr. Stark."

Tony wondered why that was, but before he could ask, Loki was already about to meet the pavement with a look of utmost surprise written on his pretty face. Tony winced in sympathy as he hit the ground. He was going to feel that one later. Actually, he was probably feeling it already. He should make sure he didn't break anything from the fall, but as drunk as Loki was, he wouldn't know for certain until he sobered up. Take it from someone who'd had his fair share of black out drinking binges. The morning (or afternoon) after was never a fun experience.

Tony sighed and reluctantly got out of his warm, dry car to retrieve the partially passed out man. The rain pelted his head and face and even down his back from where his jacket didn't cover. Swearing under his breath, he hoisted Loki to his feet and maneuvered him into the passenger seat. Great, he'd have to get his seats cleaned up now. Water did nothing good for leather interiors, but he wasn't about to leave him lying in the middle of the sidewalk this late at night in the rain. Tony didn't exactly want to be responsible if he got sick from it. He had no idea how long Loki had been walking around in it.

"Where are we going?" Loki's head tilted to look at him, face slack and tired but also curious.

"Since you won't tell me where you live, I guess I'm taking you to my place. Pepper's going to be so thrilled." Tony cringed at the thought of the redhead's reaction. She'd put her foot down after he constantly brought home a string of women, but he wasn't sure if helping someone counted. Actually, he was more concerned about what she thought of him randomly taking off without saying something first.

"I see…" Loki probably didn't actually hear him at all at this point and was already falling asleep.

The ride to the tower was a quick one, well, as quick as it could be on the roads in Manhattan during the afternoon, and Tony parked before looking over at his impromptu guest, who was in fact sleeping. He could barely hear Loki's light snores over the sound of the rain. It was going to be fun trying to drag a six-foot-something drunk into the place and into the elevator.

"Come on, big fella, let's get you inside…," Tony muttered as he came around to the other side of the car and got Loki awake enough to heave him to his feet. Not an easy task considering the height difference between them, and despite the fact that Loki was probably a few pounds lighter than Tony, he was still heavy.

"Whatever you do, please don't puke on me."

"No promises," Loki slurred, leaning most of his weight onto Tony's shoulder and trying to keep awake as they wobbled into the building. Thankfully, it appeared that Pepper, Natasha, and Clint were all absent.

As they got into the elevator, Tony leaned Loki against the wall where he stared at him, looking lost in thought with his eyes glazed over. It was an awkward few minutes as the lift raised them to the top floor, and they continued the equally awkward traversing into Tony's penthouse. The billionaire winced as he looked down at his couch and mentally sighed. Another thing he'd have to get repaired from water damage. This man was causing him a lot of bills.

"Here, sit for a moment and try not to pass out before I get back." Tony plopped Loki down onto the couch, leaving him there as he ran off to his bed room. A minute later he returned with a pair of grey cotton pants, tossing them at the man. "These should fit you; they were the longest pair I had. At the very least they'll be comfortable."

Loki nodded, and, with more help from Tony, managed to get into the bathroom in one piece. It took him longer to get back than it did Tony to get them there, but he eventually made it out. He looked more comfortable, and the hair that hung around his face looked drier. He cast Tony a grateful smile, the first genuine one Tony had seen from him so far. "I suppose I should thank you for the help. You aren't quite as heinous as I originally perceived."

"Uh...you're welcome. I think?" Tony scratched at his head, wondering if he should be offended or not at the wording. He was also trying not to stare at the pale and lean chest that was displayed in front of him, noting with a glance that there was a small amount of hair gracing it. That was highly distracting, why did he do this again? Oh right, he was occasionally a nice person. He really needed to stop doing that. "The couch is all yours, and you're welcome to use the TV if you want."

It didn't seem like Loki had heard anything he'd said because as soon as he'd sat down his eyes were already closed. Tony smirked and grabbed the throw blanket off the back of the sofa and tossed it lightly over his legs.

Now with that drama out of the way, Tony decided that a nap sounded pretty damn good.

* * *

Tony had woken up two hours later to Pepper standing over him, arms crossed and peering at him.

"What…? What did I do this time?" he asked, blinking up at her.

"I saw your guest on the couch. Do you want to explain?" She didn't look particularly upset but sometimes it was hard to tell.

"That would be Loki, and no, nothing happened. I had to rescue him from passing out on the pavement," Tony clarified carefully and slid out of bed. He should probably check on him soon to make sure nothing happened since the last time they'd spoken. Please tell him that he didn't throw up on anything.

"Normally, I'd expect that from you," Pepper said, and, while the words would have sounded harsh to anyone else, he could hear the joking tone in her voice. "He's the man from the Stargazers then? Somehow I'm not surprised."

"Gee, thanks, Pep," Tony pouted, throwing on a shirt before moving into the main living area where he found Loki still lying on the couch, blanket pulled tightly around him. "Sleeping like an angel. He must have had one hell of a day to have been as smashed as he was. We've all been there before."

Tony's smirk slowly dropped when he saw the sheen of sweat on the brunette's forehead, and with a sneaking suspicion, pressed a hand to it. Oh that was just fantastic. Not only did he now have what was likely to be a hung-over stranger staying on his couch, but one that was also, presumably, sick. What now? What had originally spawned from curiosity and generosity was rapidly becoming a bigger task than he'd signed up for.

'_All I wanted was to find out a little bit about the snarky bastard, and now he's taking up my couch_.' Tony's mind complained.'_This is what I get for being nice._'

Pepper, meanwhile. stood back and watched the scene with a curiosity of her own. It was rare to see someone who'd made such an impression on Tony Stark in such a short amount of time, just from one meeting alone. He had a reputation that everyone knew. He was notoriously selfish, but she knew that, somewhere deep down, he was a good person and had the potential to do great good. He might not know it now, but those around him did. It was why she put up with all his wild behavior.

"What are you going to do about him?" She knew he wasn't going to just toss the poor man back out on the street, but it was worth asking just to hear Tony say it for himself.

"Well I can't just send him out and hope for the best." Tony groaned and ran a hand through his hair, looking very much like he was going to regret this choice. "I guess he's going to stay here until he's well enough to leave. Whenever that'll be. God, I hope he doesn't die. That's one thing I don't want to deal with."

"I doubt he's going to die." Pepper rolled her eyes and came over to peer down at Loki. She could see the reason Tony had taken such an interest in him. He was strangely pretty, almost feminine, with those sharp features and lithe build. He really did seem familiar, not just because of the unique name, although she couldn't really place why. Now that she'd gotten a proper look at him maybe she could look him up now, not just for Tony's interest, but for her own as well.

"I guess I'll leave you to it then and take care of things myself."

"I have full confidence in your abilities, Miss Potts," Tony told her, still looking down at Loki and deciding how to go about this.

When she'd left him to himself, he got up and made his way to the bathroom for a wet washcloth. First things first, lower the fever. He'd better be getting a lot of thank-you for this.


End file.
